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Volume V – July 2, 2025
Volume V – July 2, 2025
A Weekly Dispatch from the 2030 Task Force
A Weekly Dispatch from the 2030 Task Force
As the Wauwatosa School District moves deeper into summer, the story is no longer one of seasonal pause. It is one of institutional acceleration, disconnection, and mounting consequences. This week offers a fresh window into how policy, personnel, and public trust continue to diverge.
NO QUESTIONS ASKED: MILLIONS APPROVED WITHOUT SCRUTINY
At the June 23 board meeting, the school board approved two-year contract renewals for more than 20 district administrators—including principals and central office staff—without disclosing or discussing salary amounts. Among those renewed: Ted Martin (McKinley) and Shannon Izquierdo (Madison).
From what we could see, no board members asked questions about cost, terms, or comparables. Compensation figures were not made public before or during the vote.
“Administrative Capture. The Board approves without public statement of the amount. Looks like blank checks for payroll approval. Time for 2030!!!”
— Michael Meier (former WSD board member)
At a time when the district claims fiscal constraint, the public is being told nothing—yet footing the bill.
FLIGHT WATCH: PUBLIC SCHOOL EXODUS, NOT JUST PRIVATE SHIFT
Another longtime district family has listed their home and is relocating to a nearby suburb. According to a close friend:
“They believe in public education so strongly that they’re moving for it. They wouldn’t just go private—they’re leaving because the public schools here no longer work.”
This follows the recent withdrawal of another district family. That parent has filed a formal DPI complaint over biased math placement practices and gatekeeping.
“We don’t feel we will have to keep fighting, only for our voices not to be heard or even acknowledged.”
Their children will attend private school this fall, with a potential return to Wauwatosa public schools only if serious improvements occur.
And this week, a new message circulated online from a longtime Wauwatosa family:
“Today we sold our house. The house we built. The house we fully expected to grow old in.”
While no reason was explicitly cited, many in the community understand the subtext. This is not just personal transition—it’s civic resignation. And it adds to a growing pattern:
Families are not just choosing different schools. Some are choosing different cities.
These aren’t isolated choices. They’re signals of a deeper loss of faith in local governance—and a shrinking future for the city if trust isn’t restored.
"They wouldn’t just go private—they’re leaving because the public schools here no longer work.”
“Today we sold our house. The house we built. The house we fully expected to grow old in.”
TEACHER RETENTION: THE NUMBERS DON’T ADD UP
Community members reviewing the district’s own HR staffing spreadsheet found a teacher fill rate of just 88.36%—a figure that undercuts the superintendent’s public claim of 92%, made at the June 23 board meeting. The individual, however, noted other irregularities in the data.
While national averages vary, most districts report fill rates between 90% and 98%, even in states facing teacher shortages. When accounting for uncertified staff or long-term substitutes, the effective national floor drops closer to 87%, according to the Learning Policy Institute’s 2024 Vacancy Analysis. WSD appears to hover at or just below that benchmark—but lacks transparency on how it defines “filled” positions.
Discrepancies don’t stop there. During the board meeting, a district administrator stated that “the lowest building retention rate was 85%.” Yet WSTEM, which remains open for the 2025–26 school year, lost 2 of its 6 teachers—a 67% retention rate. According to multiple reports, WSTEM was excluded from the district’s public-facing analysis.
When entire schools are omitted, and when the public claims don’t match verifiable data, the numbers stop being informative. They start becoming misleading.
TRANSPARENCY VOTED DOWN: BOARD REJECTS COMMITTEE RECORDINGS
Also at the June 23 meeting, the board unanimously rejected a proposal to record all school board committee meetings—despite staff confirming it was feasible and low-cost.
Motion: Record all school board committee meetings.
Vote: 0–7. All members opposed.
Tech Director Jamie Price explained that many rooms—like Room C—are already equipped, and even low-tech Zoom recordings could be used by committee members themselves. Board members, however, focused on view counts and hypothetical equipment costs, while failing to name a single district to support claims that recording isn't standard practice elsewhere.
Current practice:
Full board meetings are recorded.
Most committee meetings are not.
Finance Committee recordings have occurred irregularly.
Public access is inconsistent and difficult to track.
“If pressing record on Zoom is too heavy a lift, transparency was never the goal.”
“If pressing record on Zoom is too heavy a lift, transparency was never the goal.”
SURVEY RESULTS STILL MISSING
Teachers and parents continue to report that annual survey results evaluating the board and superintendent are not released in full. Instead, a handful of favorable data points are shared months after collection—if at all.
“Somehow, the results for the board and superintendent never seem to make it into the light of day.”
— Veteran WSD Teacher
Meanwhile, parents were told that repeating the same annual survey would “compromise the data.”
“This tells me my feedback isn’t really wanted.”
— District Parent
THE CIVIC BRAIN IS ONLINE
As institutional accountability collapses, the public is stepping in. This week, residents independently verified HR data discrepancies, tracked departures, and reviewed unrecorded board actions.
One Task Force contributor summed it up:
“The public is building the record for us.”
This is no longer a passive community. It is an active, informed one.
LOOKING AHEAD
The 2030 Task Force continues to grow every day, with more residents, educators, and families joining the call for change. More testimonies are coming. Coordination is expanding. And confidence in the current administration continues to erode.
The arc of accountability is never guaranteed. But in Wauwatosa, it’s now in motion.
Stay informed. Stay engaged. Keep building.
— The 2030 Task Force
Sources and References:
June 23, 2025 School Board Meeting Recording: YouTube – Wauwatosa School Board (Start at 3:11:45 for governance motion)
WSD Staffing Report (as of June 2025): District HR Fill Rate Spreadsheet – Public Version
Learning Policy Institute (2024): State Teacher Shortage & Vacancy Analysis Tool – LPI Teacher Shortage Data
Disclaimer: This publication is intended for informational and advocacy purposes only. Views expressed reflect those of contributors and are not legal findings.
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